


The One with All the Confessions

by Miss_Vanderwaal



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 10:39:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11079876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Vanderwaal/pseuds/Miss_Vanderwaal
Summary: It felt like everyone was confessing something that day, and their confessions made them seem more human than ever.





	The One with All the Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a product of the feels that 7x16 gave me; or, more precisely: of the feels that my three most favorite scenes in the episode gave me. It's essentially about friendship, not romance (ergo the title in the Friends-style). 
> 
> Ps: the dialogues from the first couple of sections of the story were taken from the actual episode. The third section, the Vandermarin one (which was the main reason I decided to write this), is more elaborate.

\- They have me on surveillance – Spencer stated. – They can’t see the card so they need the slip with my signature on it and they’re gonna have that in a few days.

   The girl who was being interrogated sat down on Alison’s armchair with her forearms on her knees, seeming destroyed. The aura around the five of them was heavy with tension.

\- Did you screw anything else up? – the hostess asked carefully.

   Spencer shook her head without looking at them, which pretty much meant she wasn’t a hundred percent sure of that.

\- How do you know? You were trashed – Hanna spat, and the second she did it, it felt wrong.

\- _Anyone_ of us could’ve made a mistake that night – Emily jumped in like the good peacemaker she was.

\- That’s my point, Emily – Hanna replied, angrily –, now they’re gonna be looking. And I’m the one who turned Dunhill into Roadkill. _Spencer_ , why the hell were you drunk?!

   Again, her tone left a bad taste in her mouth. Hanna knew in her core that she was the last of them who had the right to shout like that. Her list of slips was way longer and, at that moment, one of those rapidly took over her mind; the couple of months she had spent trying to fill with alcohol the void Caleb had left in her heart when he went to Revenswood, back in high school.

\- Because I was upset! – Spencer claimed, and Hanna sort of expected the girl would do so, but she still wasn’t ready to see the tears in the girl’s eyes. – And from what I remember you had a pretty good view.

   It didn’t sound like Spencer said that last sentence to hurt Hanna; it simply sounded like something Spencer had been dying to get out of her system, but it did hurt the blonde anyway. It was as if, finally, Hanna was feeling part of the pain Spencer had felt when Caleb told her that he and the blonde had kissed before she went missing.

   Hanna’s eyes met Spencer’s while Emily was saying something about knowing where The Radley’s paperwork was. Hanna saw _so_ much in those eyes; exhaustion, fear, regret. But perhaps the latter was a bit more evident. Regret about what she and Detective Furey had done; regret about what she had just said, about seeming weak.

   Perhaps _that_ was where everyone was wrong when it came to Spencer. They all thought that, because she was so smart, she wasn’t allowed to feel things, be scared of them or screw them up. 

   Hanna wished the circumstances were different. She wished the air wasn’t so heavy around them so she could give her friend a hug and tell her that everything was gonna be okay; that _she_ would make everything be okay.

\- I’ll get it – she told the group instead, referring to the slip of paper with Spencer’s signature on it. She would go to her mother’s office, find the damn thing and eat it for lunch if she had to, just to make sure it would stay out of sight.

    It seemed like the best way, for now, to tell Spencer that she was sorry and that she _wouldn’t_ let her go to jail for something only she and Caleb were responsible for.

 –

\- Thanks for that – Lucas Gottestman said later that day, after tilting his head back to drink the last sip of his whiskey, which was funny because it was _his_ place and, indeed, _his_ whiskey. But something told Hanna that he was actually thanking her for stopping with the accusations.

   It was momentarily peaceful there since the girls had already left. Hanna was mentally praying for it to stay that way, at least for the night.

   Lucas got up to let himself out saying nothing more and, once again, Hanna felt a lump in her throat made out of words that wanted to slip out. She called out for him, softly, as he was opening the door to leave. He turned to her and his also exhausted expression softened just a bit.

\- I believe you – she stated, getting up as well and stepping closer to him. – I believe that you weren’t part of what happened to us. But why is the factory for sale? Was our business partnership ever real?

   He took a couple of seconds to respond, spending those entirely on Hanna’s eyes.

\- I think your _so_ talented, Hanna – he said ever so softly, making Hanna smile simply by the kindness in his tone. – But I had trouble getting other people to take a chance on you.

   Part of Hanna’s smile faded away. She already knew the answer to her next question, but she felt like she had to ask it anyway.

\- What about the investors?

   Lucas shrugged.

\- You’re looking at them. I was too embarrased to tell you that I couldn’t do it anymore.

   His response shook Hanna more than she had thought it would shake.

\- So we made your life miserable in high school – she tried putting it together, and it would be comical if it wasn’t tragical –, I almost broke your collarbone tonight and now you’re telling me that I lost all of your money?

\- I’ll make it back again – Lucas nodded, unhesitatingly, and then tilted his head to the side just barely.  – Besides, it was worth it. 

   Hanna frowned while her heart skipped a couple of beats. He couldn’t _possibly_ be talking about what she was thinking he was talking about.

\- How was it worth it? – she asked, just to be sure – What’s worth losing everything?

   His eyes, his unbeliebably kind eyes, met hers again for a few seconds. He _was_ talking about what she thought he was talking about. His one-worded response sounded like it was all incredibly obvious. In the end, it was.

\- You – he smiled.

   Hanna smiled right after him, teary-eyed, and then put her arms around him in an unhurried hug. He held her delicately as well, and Hanna felt some form of unconditional love emanating from him.

\- Thank you – she said, disentangling herself from him, although it was an _I’m sorry_ hug, too. She was sorry she had never been able to love him back the way he loved her. – I never doubted that you were…

\- I know – he took both of her hands in his own and tenderly kissed the back of one of them –, I know.

   With that, Lucas walked slowly away. And Hanna was left completely alone with her thoughts.

– 

   Everything was so quiet now that it was almost not peaceful anymore.

   Hanna spent a minute, maybe two, lying on Lucas’ couch like an empty bag of potato chips. She kept staring at the ceiling, usure of what to do. She could go to bed early, but what was the point anyway? She was jobless. _Again._ Only a couple of months later.

   Hanna was considering the possibility of getting herself a drink, alcoholic or not, when a couple of knocks on the front door made her jump off her seat.

\- I’m entitled to at least twelve hours of peace, you bitch – she muttered to the air before getting up to answer the door. – I’m sure that’s squeezed somewhere on the instruction manual.

   She was actually praying that it wasn’t another egg carton – bringing the news that AD had implanted another baby into another of them – or another life-size doll with a real appendix in it.

   It turned out to be none of the above, but Mona. Hanna breathed out heavily once she took in the brunette’s non-threatening self standing before her with a smile.

\- Are you annoyed or relieved to see me? – Mona frowned, letting herself in, as usual nowadays. – ‘Cause right now I can’t quite tell.

\- The latter, I guess – Hanna ran a hand over her forehead, still dizzy because of the sudden intrusion, althought she didn’t really mind.

\- Well, then I’m glad – Mona sat on the couch and the blonde mirrored the action.

   _What are you doing here?_ , Hanna wanted to ask.

\- I know it’s late – Mona began answering, as if she was reading Hanna’s mind –, but I decided it would probably be better to tell you this in person rather than over voicemail or something. I thought about it. Over, and over, and _over_ and… I’m ready to play. So, do you have any idea when is it gonna be your turn again?

   Hanna blinked a few times, realizing that there was no right or wrong way to answer that question.

\- I already went.

   Mona’s eyes widened a little.

\- What? When?

   Hanna took a quick breath.

\- Earlier this evening – yes, answering question by question definitely felt less overwhelming, at least to herself.

   Mona moved her hands in the air, impatiently, clearly waiting to hear more.

\- AD sent me the address of a computer repair shop for me to look for a hard drive there and then leave it at the school for him, her, it, _bitch._ Anyway, Emily and Alison went to the school with me but we’re all thinking that the hard drive thing was just a set-up so another one of AD’s minions could make a mess out of Emily and Alison’s brand new nursery.

   Mona’s hands were in the air once again, this time to tell Hanna to slow down.

\- Okay, I wanna help you, Hanna, but I can’t do that if you keep telling me the things AD makes you guys do _after_ they made you do them, as if we’re in a tea party. Why didn’t you call me? I could’ve been another set of eyes at the very least.

   Hanna looked down, embarrassed. Mona seemed to be more than hurt; she seemed to feel _forgotten_ , and she had the right to.

\- You know I want that, Mona, but I don’t know how to tell them that you’re involved in it yet.

   Mona chuckled humorlessly while shaking her head in apparent disbelief.

\- Three words – she said, indignantly. – It’s all you have to say. One doesn’t need to have a lot of brains to do that.

   Hanna stayed quiet. Under normal circumstances, she would be slightly offended by Mona’s last sentence, but she let that one slide because Mona had a bigger right to be offended at the moment.

\- You still don’t trust me? – Mona asked a second later, but it was an affirmation way more than it was an actual question.

   Once more, Hanna said nothing in response. She looked Mona in the eye, though, and she knew she shouldn’t have done it because she knew it would hurt. It did. Those eyes practically shouted _What more do you want from me?_

   _I trust you,_ Hanna wanted to say, but she felt unworthy of the seconds she would take to do it.  _I just don’t trust them with you._

\- Fine – Mona shrugged. – I’ll help you and your friends like I always do and then crawl back under a rock.

\- Mona, it’s not like that – Hanna tried to jump in, but soon enough felt like slapping herself across the face because it _was_ like that. It was, oh, _so_ like that!

\- I’ve literally bled myself for you, Hanna – Mona stated, ever so slightly tearing up –, trying to protect you. How many times do I have to save all of you until I’m finally part of the group?

   Hanna’s eyes widened just a bit after that last question. Exactly like it had happened when Spencer and Lucas voiced their own confessions earlier, Hanna saw that one coming, but was quite taken aback by it once Mona decided to voice it.

  The blonde stopped for a beat to think about the sentence prior to that one; Mona had probably meant “I’ve bled myself for you _all_ , trying to protect you _all”_. Although, Hanna couldn't help but _feel_ that something in the brunette’s tone was addressing that to her and _only_ her.

   Perhaps that was some form of unconditional love as well. After all, Mona was _always_ there, even though the girls kept pushing her away once a mystery was apparently solved. Hanna’s eyes got wet again.

\- You know, it made sense that AD told you to go to the high school today – Mona tried to sound lighthearted while getting up. – It seems like we never left.

   In a half deliberate move, Hanna grabbed one of Mona’s wrists, stopping the girl from walking away. She _wouldn’t_ go to sleep with that same lump in her throat.

\- Don’t go like that, please.

   Mona looked down at Hanna’s hand around her wrist. It seemed to be exactly what she needed to convince her to stay for a while longer. She sat down again, waiting for Hanna to speak.

\- You know what’s funny? – the blonde smiled, letting go of Mona’s hand slowly – People have been confessing stuff to me today. Maybe it’s something in the air, I don’t know. But I like it.

   Mona looked at Hanna and her lips curved up into a playful yet timid little smile.

\- You do? Well, I thought that one just now was mainly pathetic.

   Hanna leaned her back against the back of the couch, for a moment allowing herself to pretend that Mona was there to do anything _but_ talk about that wicked board game.

\- Yeah, people run the risk of sounding pathetic when they share their feelings.

   They both giggled; something they hadn’t done together in a really long time.

\- Tell me the truth, Mona – Hanna said, softly, and looked inside Mona’s light brown eyes to see if she could have a better chance at understanding her. – After all this time, after all we’ve lived, together and separately, you _still_ wanna be a part of our group as if the five of us had never stopped being the cool girls of Rosewood High? Why?

   Mona broke eye contact for no more than half a second and smiled, blusing a little.

\- As the great Rachel Berry used to say, “being a part of something special makes you special”.

   And, once again, Hanna was at a loss for words. Her own smile was slowly widening as she realized that Mona remembered their afternoons binge-watching the first couple of seasons of Glee. Next, she silently wondered how on Earth could someone not trust a human being like Mona; a person who, right from the start, had simply wanted to _belong_ somewhere.

\- Rachel was wrong – Hanna took Mona’s hand delicately in her own again. – You make something be special because you put your specialness into it. I’m pretty sure Mr. Shue says something like that to her a few times. But anyway, can you stop by again tomorrow?

   Mona nodded, wordlessly.

\- I’m gonna text the girls first thing in the morning telling them to come meet us here. Then, we’ll tell them that our team has a new player. Sound good?

   Mona smiled, squeezing Hanna’s hand a bit more.

\- Thank you – she whispered, the tears of gratitude already giving a certain weight to her voice.

   Hanna took a second to appreciate how great it was to hear those words; how great it was to know that she was directly doing something good for someone. Sure, the slip of paper Spencer had signed her name on at The Radley bar was part of a cold and tasteless soup by now, but she felt that she and Caleb had made a mess much more than they had helped a friend with that plan. Also, her and Lucas were on good terms again, but she had temporarily bankrupted him, therefore, she was still feeling quite like trash about that.

   Mona was Hanna’s chance to make at least one thing right and leave that awful day behind with a bit of dignity.

\- You’re welcome – the blonde smiled as well, serenely. – And hey, I don’t want us to feel like a burden to you anymore. From now on, you'll be protecting us and we'll be protecting you. Always. Because that’s what friends do.

**Author's Note:**

> Now, about the episode itself: wow! Nothing tops 5x25 to me, of course, but I'd say that 7x16 is now a close second just because there was such a different flow to it, I think. It seemed like people were telling the truth much more than they were lying in it and, since it's PLL, that's a thing worth pointing out. The whole "confessions" thing gets even more evident when you throw Emison into the mix. 
> 
> Also, can we talk about Mona's lines real quick? WOW! They were SUCH an amazing fan service, you guys! The things she said during that whole scene with Hanna were things I've heard Mona fans saying non-stop over the years (myself included). It was so bittersweet to watch that!


End file.
